Welcoming the Assam Government’s decision to prohibit the manufacture and sale of packaged drinking water (PDW) products, the state unit of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) demanded the government to provide free drinking water to each household under Jal Jeevan Mission scheme.
Speaking on the matter, AAP state president Dr. Bhaben Choudhury stressed the setting up of drinking water ATMs in public places for the availability of better water facilities. The AAP also demanded the government to provide adequate water facilities to each household.
He said, “Around one-and-a-half to two decades ago, sale of packaged drinking water was a distant dream for the people of Assam. The state government has failed to provide drinking water facilities to households and also in public places which compelled people to purchase water bottles.”
“Though the BJP government had initiated the Jal Jeevan Mission scheme by spending crores of rupees, the general public could not avail the benefits as massive corruption plagued the scheme,” Choudhury further said.
Notably, the Assam government on Friday decided to prohibit the sale of water bottles below 1 litre in the state, effective from October 2.
Meanwhile, opposing the ban, the North East Packaged Drinking Water Association claimed that the prohibition raises severe concerns over the affordability and accessibility of safe, hygienic drinking water, which is a basic need for every human being.
It also highlighted that the Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottles used in PDW are fully recyclable bottle-to-bottle in a closed loop, which is the most cost effective, hygienic and portable product used by almost 100% population of our country. Such a ban against the manufacture and sale of said products will impact day-to-day lives of every citizen.
